Fair Elections NY

New Yorkers deserve a responsive, accountable government. Voter turnout in New York is among the lowest in the nation, due in part to antiquated procedures for registration and voting that discourage participation. And our campaign finance system favors the wealthy over everyday, working New Yorkers. To tackle the issues that matter most to us, like protecting New York jobs, fighting for our union rights, and more, we must have a campaign finance system that favors the interests of the many!

The Fair Elections Reform package would increase the power of small donations, limit the influence of big money, and make it easier, not harder, to vote.

The Fair Elections Reform Package would:

Increase the power of small donations. This would everyday people the means to run for office and represent their communities while relying on small donations instead of large checks from big money donors. By matching small-dollar donations with public funding, we can amplify the voices under-represented New Yorkers in the political process, like working class candidates. Following the Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision, small-donor matching funds remains the most powerful way to counter the unlimited, secret money flowing into our elections.

Limit the influence of big money. Corporations and the mega rich shouldn’t be allowed to buy elections. The Governor and the Legislature took a step forward by shrinking the “LLC loophole,” which allows mega donors to funnel limitless amounts to candidates. We can now put a check on the outsized influence of big donors by fully closing the LLC loophole and by reducing New York’s unusually high contribution limits, among other improvements.

Protect New Yorkers’ freedom to vote. New York has had some of the most restrictive voting regulations in the country. Earlier this year, the NY Legislature passed several historic voting reforms, but we need to continue to make it easier for New Yorkers to exercise their freedom to vote. That includes automatic voter registration and codifying into law New York’s policy to extend voting rights to all New Yorkers with past convictions.